Running board for railway cars



Nov. 17', 1931. J R. JONES 1,831,810

RUNNING BOARD FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Sept... 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JWmvoQ/mes.

Nov. 17, 1931. J R. JONES RUNNING BOARD FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Sept. 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllnnllnnl nnnn'lnnlLll Ila/Allan:- fi

IN VENTOR.

Patented Nov. 1 7, 1931 UNITED STATES 5' RAYMOND JONES, OF SPRING HOUSE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T ALAN WOOD PATENT OFFICE STEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA RUNNING BOARD FOR RAILWAY CARS Application filed September 27, 1930. Serial No. 484,778. 7

My invention relates to running boards for railway cars and particularly to runnin boards for railway box cars.

Running boards for various types of rallway cars have, in general, been constructed of wood, the boards extending lengthwise of the running board. In most cases, two or more boards have been required to constitute the width of the running board.

Wooden running boards have the disad-' vantage that they are exposed to the weather and that they decay within a relatlvely short time. Such decay may not always be apparent before the running boards are in an unsafe condition. It will be appreciated that a loose board with a projecting end or a decayed board that is about to break constitutes a material source of danger. Furthermore, wooden running boards have a relatively smooth upper surface which becomes dangerous when the surface is covered with a slight film of ice or snow by reason of the tendency of persons to slip when walking upon them.

In the running boards for railway box cars constructed in accordance with my inventlon, I provide members constructed from metal plates, the upper surfaces of which have extending therefrom a comparatlvely large number of projections. These pro ectlons may, for example, be of modified diamond form. These projections are for the purpose of insuring safe footing on the runnlng boards and are effective even when the upper surfaces of the metal members are covered with relatively thin ice or snow.

These metal floor members are placed side by side, and they are disposed either lengthwise of the running board or crosswise as desired in modified forms of my invention. In either form of construction, the metal members constituting the running board are securely fastened to a framework in any suit-able manner, such, for example, as electric welding, riveting or bolting.

The details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a railway box car with running boards of my invention applied to the top thereof;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a running board of modified construction;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view 1n perspective of an end portion of a metal floor member;

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse vertical section illustrating certain details of construction;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of a modification thereof;

Fig. 6 is a View, similar to Fig. 4;, of a further modification;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a construction detail in which a metal member is notched to receive the edge of a supporting member; and

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of a construction detail in which the supporting member is notched to receive the vertical flanges of running board members.

A railway box car 1, only a portion of which is shown, comprises a side 2, an end 3 and a roof 4. These parts may be of usual construction. The roof of the car is provided with a central running board 5 that extends the length of the car. At the end of the car that is illustrated, there is also provided a relatively short running board 6 that extends at right angles from the central running board 5 to an edge of the roof.

The running board 5 comprises three channel floor members 7 that are formed from metal plates having projections of modified diamond form, for example, upon one surface thereof. These projections may be of any desired form or number, their purpose being to insure a safefooting during various kinds of weather.

The channel members 7 are secured to each other and to the roof of the car by means of transverse members or cross-pieces 8, preferably in the form of angle bars, as will be described hereinafter in connection with Figs. 4:, 5 and 6. The angle bars 8 are secured to the roof of the car by means of L-shape members or brackets 9.

At the ends of the running board 5, the construction is as shown in Fig. 1, in which the cross-piece 8 is supported by two brackets 10 that are bolted to the end of the car and extend at an angle thereto in order that the running board 5 may project beyond the end of the roof 4.

The transverse running board 6 consists of relatively short channel floor members 12 that are placed crosswise of two supporting members 13 that extend longitudinally of the running board. The outer ends of the supporting members 13 are secured to the roof of the car by means of L-shape members 14, which have a relatively long base. The members 13 are supported at other points by brackets 9 similar to those employed in the running board 5. It will be noted, also, that the members 13 may extend beneath the floor members 7 of the running board 5 and constitute supports therefor.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 2, in which is illustrated a running board in which the channel members extend crosswise, as in the case of the running board 6. The running board 15 comprises channel floor members 16 that are seated in notches 17 in longitudinal supporting members 18. The latter are secured to the car roof by means of brackets 9, as in the preceding constructions. When this construction is employed, the floor members 16 are preferably welded to the supporting members 18 at their junction points. As in the case of the running board 5, the ends of the running board 15 may be supported by brackets 10 that are suitably welded or otherwise secured thereto.

Insome cases, it may be desired to provide floor members with a slightly concave upper surface, in which case drain holes 19 are provided, as shown in the portion of the channel member 20 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified construction, in which the floor surface of the running board may consist of a single strip of metal 22 that has been provided with grooves 23 of V-shape which correspond to the spaces between the individual channels 7 of Fig. 1. In this modification, the angle bars 8 are bolted to side flanges 24 and brackets 9 are similarly bolted to the angle bars 8. Drain holes 25 are provided at suitable intervals in the grooves 23 in order to prevent accumulation of water therein.

In the arrangement of Fig. 5, the details of construction are substantially identical with those of Fig. 4, except that the grooves 26 are of U-shape.

In the modification of Fig. 6, the surface of the walk is composed of individual channel members, the flanges of which, except the outer flanges of the outer members, are welded to the angle bars 8. Also, the channels 7 are secured to the angle bars 8 by means of bolts 27.

In the construction shown in Fig. 7 which may, for example, be a portion of the construction of the running board 6 of Fig. 1,

the side flanges of the channels 12 are notched, as shown, to receive vertical edges of the supporting members 13. The adjacent edges of these members may be welded for the purpose of retaining them in position.

In the arrangement shown 'in Fig. 8, the supporting members 28 are notched to receive the vertical flanges of the channels 29 and the horizontal portions of the latter rest directly on the upper edges of the members 28.

Running boards constructed in accordance with my invention are extremely durable and contribute to the safety of railroad trainmen. The upper surfaces of the channel members provide an insurance against slipping in case of inclement Weather and the entire arrangement is such as to contribute materially to the neat appearance of the car.

The foregoing and other advantages will be appreciated by those skilled in the art relating to railway car construction and operation.

While I have shown and described a number of alternative forms of construction, it will be appreciated that other modifications may be employed and that my invention is not limited to those shown and described by way of example.

I claim as my invention:

1. Running boards for railway cars comprising a framework having metal members secured to a car body and metal plate members having relatively rough upper surfaces and flanged side edges and that extend transversely of the framework members and are rigidly secured thereto, one of said members at each junction thereof being notched to receive the other member.

2. Running boards for railway cars comprising metal channel members having relatively rough upper surfaces and constituting the floor portion thereof, metal supporting members for said channel members extending transversely of the latter, said supporting members being notched to receive said channel members, and means for securing said supporting members in fixed position.

3. Running boards for railway cars comprising a floor portion consisting of parallel metal channel members having relatively rough upper surfaces and side flanges at right angles to saidupper surfaces, and a supporting framework consisting of metal members extending transversely of and secured to said channel members, said side flanges being notched to receive portions of said transverse members, and members for securing said supporting members in fixed position.

4. Running boards for railway cars comprising a framework having metal members secured to a car body and metal plate members having relatively rough upper surfaces and flanged side edges and that extend transversely of the framework members and are rigidly secured thereto, one of the members at each point of: crossing being notched to receive a portion of the other member.

5. Running boards for railway cars comprising a metal plate having rojections on its upper surface and provi ed with side flanges and with longitudinal grooves to divide it into a plurality of sections, crosspieces secured to said side flan es and engaging the bottom portions of sai grooves, and giegns for securing said cross-pieces to a car 6. Running boards for railway cars comprising a supporting framework having spaced parallel members extending longitudinally of the running board and secured in position on a car body and spaced metal members having substantially vertical side flanges and secured to the spaced members of said framework, one of the members, at each j unction thereof, being notched to receive a portion of the other member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of September,

J RAYMOND JO'NES. 

